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The first packet of brown (raw) sugar has been produced following the re-commencement of operations at the Komenda Sugar Factory in the Central Region.
According to a video post shared by the Presidency, the brown sugar product comes just two days after the factory commenced operations to produce refined sugar for commercial purposes and reduce importation.
It is however expected that refined sugar from the brown (raw) sugar will be produced in about ten days.
“This is brown sugar (raw sugar) from Komenda Sugar Factory just after two days of operation. After this fine sugar is expected in ten days,” the caption of the video post read.
An unidentified man in the video post said, “This is our first brown sugar (raw sugar) which came out from the factory after two days of crashing and after this, refined sugar will be produced and the process is coming on well”
He added that although there is not enough raw material at the moment to refine more, efforts are being made to ensure enough availability for production.
“We expect that in 10 days, refined sugar will be produced by God’s grace,” the man added.
Watch the video below:
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, in February, disclosed that the defunct Komenda Sugar Factory located in the central region will resume operations this year.
Ahead of the move, some civil works on the factory were said to have been completed in March this year to enable operational activities to begin.
The president earlier said the services of the Technical Partner with expertise in the sugar industry have also been engaged to manage the technical operations of the factory.
Meanwhile, as part of efforts to rope in local content personnel to revive the factory, traditional authorities in Komenda and adjoining districts have been engaged to acquire large tracts of land for sugarcane plantations.
Background
Though the erstwhile John Mahama administration recommissioned the factory on May 30, 2016, in a bid to get it functioning once again and offer employment for the youth, the move hit a snag as the Akufo-Addo-led government took office shortly in 2017.
The recommissioned Komenda Sugar Factory was expected to create some 7,300 direct and indirect jobs at full operational capacity. The factory is said to be able to crush 1,250 tonnes of sugar cane daily.
The sugar-producing factory was first established in 1964 by Dr Kwame Nkrumah but became defunct over the years due to technical difficulties and setbacks.
The birth of the factory was based on the premise of producing sugar locally to reduce importation and for commercial purposes.
